Emma John is the Business Manager of Absolute Dental Practice and Absolute Dental Training. The Practice is a multi-award winning practice which has won several accolades over the years including Best Dental Support Team and Best Practice, and Emma personally received the Practice Manager of the Year award (twice). Emma John started her career young as a dental nurse and down to ambition and hard work has climbed the career ladder to achieve flourishing success.
How did you get into dental nursing?
When I was at school we had to take part in a weeks work experience. I chose to work at a local dental practice, learning about the dental nurse role. I absolutely loved it. Just prior to leaving school I wrote to all the practices in my local area and finally one wrote back to me and offered me a job at the age of sixteen.
How long did you work in this first practice?
I worked at this practice for two years, however, I always had a longer term ambition to join the RAF (Royal Air Force) as a dental nurse. I joined the RAF in 1987 and had a fantastic 6 years, it really was the time of my life. I’ll never forget the help, support and opportunity my first practice gave me and I always try and give credit back to them.
Was RAF life very different from being a dental nurse in practice?
Yes, on many levels. The main difference is that servicemen and women receive dental care free of charge as the military understand the importance of having fit and healthy mouths. Therefore treatment was readily accepted and there always seemed to be adequate time to provide high levels of care. It seemed less pressured. As nurses we also were trained to complete quite a large degree of our own lab work including special tray and bite blocks. I made some lifetime friends during my years as a member of the RAF dental branch, I feel very privileged to have been part of this.
What was next for you?
In the RAF you are subject to annual reviews. Your work is reviewed by various members of the dental branch. My reviews were good so ultimately I was offered a promotion. In the RAF this promotion meant that my nursing clinical duties would cease and I would become a Manager and receive subsequent training in this field. I left the RAF in 1992 and the went out to live in Hong Kong for a while and took a very different career direction. I became a Manager of a riding school, teaching adults and children from all over the world. I was also re-training retired race horses from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey School. After 3 years I returned to the UK and the desire to return to dentistry also returned.
Did you miss being a dental nurse?
I really did. Even though horse riding is a great passion of mine, I missed nursing. I love the buzz of being in a busy dental clinic. I soon met my husband Rhodri who is a dentist and we moved down to Devon and bought a practice together. Ever since, I have been managing the business and my husband is the clinical director.
What kind of practice is Absolute Dental?
It is a fully private practice. We are also an NEBDN accredited training centre and run courses to train student dental nurses studying for the National Diploma in Dental Nursing examination. I am still registered with the GDC as a dental nurse but my main priorities now are managing the practice and teaching throughout the UK.
What do you think makes your practice so successful?
A lot of determination and hard work, together with a really clear vision of who we are and what we want to do. In my opinion dentistry is a team job. Really good dental nurses are irreplaceable, massively important and a vital part of that team. A happy team delivers the best kind of patient care possible. It’s a two way thing: a happy team means happy patients and vice versa.
What do you teach?
I teach all over the UK most usually customer service and practice management to a wide variety of dental teams who are either looking to move their practices forward or review the current systems in place with a view to improvment. In more recent years I have become part of the Practice Plan consulting team and in addition to this, I also look after clients as part of Horton Consulting.
I believe dentistry is a career which is exciting to be part of, for all members of the dental team. There are huge amounts of opportunities out there for all members of the dental team. The dental nurses I have worked with are extremely ambitious, many have gone on to do really big things.
Do you think being a dental nurse has helped you as a practice manager?
Yes definitely. I know there is a split opinion on nurses moving into management but I believe that being a dental nurse has influenced me hugely as a manager, in a positive way. I am emphatic about what is going on in practice and in the treatment rooms. I think this enables the team to function really well, as I have a lot of understanding of what they need and what is going on. It has helped me enormously.
What is the best part of you job?
The opportunities in dentistry are greater than ever.
I personally enjoy that it is a profession where self motivation can be utilized, and the choice of career developments are numerous.
What advice would you give to dental nurses?
Never forget where you’ve come from and those people that helped you along the way. I still give credit to my first boss who gave me that big break at 16. Nurses looking to change roles to management need to be very clear and be specific about why they feel the change is necessary. To be a really great nurse is something to aspire to and nursing should not just be viewed as a stepping stone to something else.
My final piece of advice is to have a really defined vision and to remember that you only get out what you put in!
